The Urban Land Institute/Gerald D. Hines Student Urban Design Competition challenges multidisciplinary student teams to create a comprehensive development program for a real, large-scale site. This year's student entries numbered 139 between 64 schools and proposed a long-term vision for creating a distinct identity for a new downtown Houston district. Two teams of GSD students were recognized in the tenth annual competition, one with an honorable mention for superior site planning, and the other, a joint team with the University of Colorado, was selected as one of four finalists.
Finalist proposal “Downtown Bayou” is designed to create a timeless district in unifying nature, community, new economy, and creativity. The five-person team included Anna Cawrse (MLA '12), Michael Albert (MLA '13), and Victor Perez Amado (MArch '13) from the GSD, and two real estate MBA students from the University of Colorado, Chad Murphy and Alex Atherton. A previous working relationship spawned the cross-university collaboration.
Another entry, “Tread Lightly, Texas!” received an honorable mention for superior site planning. The team included ChengHe Guan (MDesS '12), Tiffany Lau (MArch '12), Ben Brady (MArch '12), Jeff LaBoskey (MArch '12), and Harvard Business School student Amy Long. Richard Peiser, Michael D. Spear Professor of Real Estate Development, served as faculty advisor.
The Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the institute has nearly 30,000 members representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.